


When The Chase Ends

by muchmoremajestic



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Heist AU, M/M, Tony is an art thief
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-08
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-13 18:00:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29282634
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/muchmoremajestic/pseuds/muchmoremajestic
Summary: Prompt: Gentleman Thief Tony Stark has made off with many things over the ages; crown jewels, priceless artifacts, rare documents, Steve's uniforms on multiple occasions, Steve's virginity on one *memorable* occasion. Steve has chased Tony across the world and through multiple lifetimes, intent on one thing only. Tony thinks it's justice, but Steve has always played for the highest stakes...Tony is an art thief. Steve has chased him all his life (and more). But how long can Tony keep running?
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Comments: 2
Kudos: 22
Collections: POTS (18+) Stony Stocking 2020





	When The Chase Ends

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Firelightmystic](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Firelightmystic/gifts).
  * In response to a prompt by [Firelightmystic](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Firelightmystic/pseuds/Firelightmystic) in the [stony_stocking_2020](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/stony_stocking_2020) collection. 



The alarm rang out through the museum as Steve raced through exhibits looking for him. 

_He has to be around here somewhere._ _What are you taking this time?_

It was astounding that he was able to even get this close. Usually when Tony did a heist Steve didn’t find out about it until he was getting a disgruntled call from someone in the FBI or Interpol. 

“Captain Rogers, it happened again.”

“Captain Rogers, he left a note for you this time.” 

“Captain Rogers, he didn’t even take anything but he moved some artworks around. I think he’s just doing it for fun.”

“Captain Rogers, how do you know this guy?”

Steve always lied, of course. “I  _ don’t _ know him. I have no clue who he is.” Why some sneaky art thief wanted anything to do with Captain America was beyond anyone’s understanding. 

But Steve knew why this was happening. Not ideal, that this lifetime around he’d end up a super soldier while Tony had settled on master thief. But they had been doing this chase for centuries. This was nothing new; close encounters, near misses, one clandestine night in a Paris hotel - it wasn’t a secret between the two that Tony and Steve wanted each other. A constant dance, always briefly passing by each other until the next connection. 

On the rare occasion they had the chance to speak, Tony wouldn’t let Steve say the “s-word.” Despite the meeting up in multiple lifetimes, the constant coming back to each other, Tony seemed to be afraid of the idea that they were soulmates. 

Steve turned a corner to see a dark silhouette standing in front of a glass case with a jewel encrusted coat, part of the glass cut out as the figure was carefully placing the coat into a container.

“Took you long enough to figure out where I was. What, thought I’d be hitting up the pottery exhibit this time?” Tony said over his shoulder as Steve approached. 

“Put the coat down.”

“Or what, Steve?” 

“ _ Captain Rogers. _ And who are you?”

“Oh cut the act. I knocked out their surveillance systems. No one will know that we talked. Or that we even know each other. Although we won’t have too long to chat. If you’re here surely the police should be on their way.” 

“Tony, you’re getting a bit sloppy here, this is the first time I’ve actually been able to catch you mid-heist.”

“And you think that’s an accident?”

Steve paused.

“You’re doing this to get my attention?”

“Among other things. Contemplating returning this coat to the country it comes from. People shouldn’t have their culture ripped from them -”

Steve cut him off with an exasperated grunt. “Tony, why do you keep this up? Why do we keep having to do this chase?” 

“Because you always come after me. I run because you follow.”

“So are we always going to do this? Me chasing after you?”

Tony shrugged. “Oh, I don’t know. It’s been a long time. Maybe I’m tired of running.” 

Steve froze. “Tony -”

“It’s very simple, really. Maybe I’m ready to stop the chase. Take a chance on us.”

“Tony, you’ve done so much, I don’t have a choice -”

“Of course you have a choice. Let them take me in and we can keep playing this game forever, or let me go and meet up with me later.”

Steve could hear the police approaching in the distance. 

“Where?” 

“Steve, you know what city we’re in. And why it really matters. I’ll see you there.” Tony smirked, picked up the container with the coat in it and briskly walked away.

Steve just stood there, watching Tony walk out. Did he really want to do this forever? 

The empty silence of the museum wing suddenly broke with the sound of the police swarming in.

A lieutenant ran up to Steve. “Captain Rogers! Did you see the suspect?” 

Steve sighed. “No, I must have just missed him. He was already gone by the time I got here.” 

The officer let out a disgusted grunt. “Okay men, check the premises, every corner, room, nook, everywhere. I want no stone unturned. Clear the building and lock it down; this is now an active crime scene . . .” 

Steve didn’t stay as the police began to check and process the scene. Instead he sprinted out of the museum, jumped on his bike and sped off. 

Yes, he knew where Tony wanted to meet. 

A few lifetimes ago they were both here, at a beach. Tony had been in trouble, Steve stepped in, and the two ran from an inn on the edge of what used to be a village through the woods to the shore, hiding on this beach among some tall rocks. 

It also happened to be the place, where out of all their lifetimes, they had had their first kiss. 

Steve pulled up to the road beside the beach, parked his motorcycle and jumped over the divider and into the sand below. The beach had barely changed, even after all those years. He recognized the rocks in the distance. 

Steve half expected nothing, an empty beach where Tony had sent him off as a distraction while he fled with his latest pillaged goods. But as he ran up to the rocks, there was Tony, sitting in the sand, waiting. 

Steve walked to Tony’s side and plopped down in the sand next to him. 

“So you remembered,” Tony said.

“How could I forget?” 

“Is it just you?”

“Just me.” 

“I meant it, what I said. We’ve been running for so long -  _ I  _ have been running for so long. It was fun at first, the freedom, the new experiences, the thrill of getting away with it all, knowing you’d be close behind. But after a while, it gets harder. Sometimes you just want to stay in the moment.”

“With me?”

“Yes, Steve. With you. I want to be with you. Right here. Will you stay?”

“Of course, Tony.” Steve took Tony’s hand, turned and leaned into a kiss. All those years, all those miles ran. There was nowhere Steve would rather be than here with Tony.


End file.
